'"There is, in the right situation, an opportunity to be able to draft a prospect from the Western New York area," Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said. "There are (local) kids in this draft we're going to consider."'

'"We went into last year's draft, as we're going into this year's draft, looking for a defenseman again," Regier said this week. "But you end up looking at a defenseman and a forward, and you can't go by the forward to get the defenseman, so you end up with another forward."'

On Thursday, USA Hockey announced the 39 players who have been invited to compete for a roster spot when Team USA vies for the Olympic gold medal in Turino, Italy this February. Among the group were Buffalo Sabres Chris Drury (pictured left) and Ryan Miller.

‘MacArthur will begin his pro career with the Rochester Americans, but he is one of the Sabres’ top prospects. He had 30 goals and 44 assists in 58 games last season for Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League. “He’s a complete player with a solid two-way game,” Regier said. “He’s a very responsible player, has strong character, is a terrific competitor and can create some offense. Two-way players with some offensive skill are very important. They make up the glue of your team.”‘

'MacArthur, a second-round 2003 pick of the Buffalo Sabres, said the contract process was nervewracking at times following the NHL signing a new collective bargaining agreement last week. "The first day I think everyone got pretty much lowballed in the whole league, so we were all sweating," he said while vacationing with his family in Penticton, B.C. "It worked out for us; it's great to have it done. We got the same deal as the picks in 2003, with a 24 per cent rollback. It was $942,000 for the cap for the (maximum) signing bonus. The (maximum) salary was $850,000."'

'A play-making forward, MacArthur spent the past three seasons with Medicine Hat of the Canadian junior Western Hockey League. He's a two-time 30-goal scorer, and finished with 30 goals, 44 assists and 74 points in 58 games last season. He also represented Canada in last winter's World Junior Championship.'